5
Sep
2008
What Inspires You?
Intel launched the site inspiredbyeducation.com to highlight what inspires as well as how to improve education. Intel is asking regular folks to share their stories. Check it out. Hopefully the Intel site will influence a lot of folks to do something that will improve someone’s educational experience.
Here is my submission. As a plus, MentorNet, one of the programs that I am involved in, is actually featured on the Intel site. I mention MentorNet and Coaching for College in my video.
Kenya — Thanks for the video. Through work I’m doing with a local Catholic elementary school, I was recently in touch with a 2008 graduate of a DCPS high school who graduated in the Top 10 of her class. It became clear to me that the staff at the high school did not guide her effectively (she did know now of the DC TAP program through which she could get in-state tuition rates at local colleges and universities, plus HBCU’s around the country), and as a result, she was at UDC, hoping to transfer to Bowie State on her way to a beautician’s career. There’s a very clear need for mentoring programs such as you’re involved. Keep up the good work!
@Bill – There are so many things wrong with what you said. You’re right though, she doesn’t seem like she had any guidance as to a career path or what schools to attend.
I did what I could by passing information on DC TAP to her and trying to set her up with a bright young alumna from her grade school who graduated from Cornell and is doing some great work in the city. It just gave me a glimpse of how young people with potential fall through the cracks in part because of their surroundings.